Modelling and Analysis of Suspension System of TATA SUMO by using Composite Material under the Static Load Condition by using FEA
Nisar S. Shaikh1, S.M. Rajmane2
1Mr. Nisar S. Shaikh, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bharat Ratna Indira Gandhi College of Engg, Solapur Maharashtra, India.
2Prof. S.M. Rajmane , Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bharat Ratna Indira Gandhi College of Engg, Solapur Maharashtra, India.
Manuscript received on January 25, 2014. | Revised Manuscript received on February 15, 2014. | Manuscript published on February 28, 2014. | PP: 53-60 | Volume-3, Issue-3, February 2014. | Retrieval Number: C2555023314/2013©BEIESP
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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: In order to conserve natural resources and economize energy, weight reduction has been the main focus of automobile manufacturer in the present scenario. Weight reduction can be achieved primarily by the introduction of better material, design optimization and better manufacturing processes. The suspension leaf spring is one of the potential items for weight reduction in automobile as it accounts for ten to twenty percent of the unsprung weight. This helps in achieving the vehicle with improved riding qualities. It is well known that springs, are designed to absorb and store energy and then release it. Hence, the strain energy of the material becomes a major factor in designing the springs. It can be easily observed that material having lower modulus and density will have a greater specific strain energy capacity. The introduction of composite materials was made it possible to reduce the weight of the leaf spring without any reduction on load carrying capacity and stiffness. Since; the composite materials have more elastic strain energy storage capacity (1) and high strength-to-weight ratio as compared to those of steel. It is seen that from the graph that when load increases the bending stress increases linearly. So load-stress graph gives the straight line relationship. At lower loads both theoretical and ANSYS results are very close, but when load increases the ANSYS results are uniformly reduced compared to theoretical results. The deflection in steel leaf spring is less as compared to the composite leaf spring as shown in the above graphs. Springs are placed between the road wheels and the body. When the wheel comes across a bump on the road, it rises and deflects the spring, there by storing energy there in. On releasing, due to the elasticity of the spring material, it rebounds there by expending the stored energy. In this way the spring starts vibrating, of course, with amplitude decreasing gradually on account of internal friction of the spring material and friction of the suspension joints, till vibrations die down.
Keywords: Leaf spring, FEM, Strain energy, Strength to weight ratio, etc.